Silverdale aid agency sends supplies to Africa to fight Ebola

Contributed photo by Cassia Burke Children of the Nations staff member Toby Daugherty loads donated medical supplies into a truck for transport.

Copyright 2014 Journal Media Group. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Contributed photo by Samuel Ngoneh Health workers from Children of the Nation’s clinic in Sierra Leone wearing protective gear from the first shipment of supplies.

Copyright 2014 Journal Media Group. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

SILVERDALE — More than 200 pounds of medical supplies were donated by Kitsap County physicians and businesses Wednesday to combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

The 19-year-old nonprofit and faith-based Children of the Nations organization, headquartered in Silverdale, sent supplies that should last 90 days to the organization’s Sierra Leone ministry center. The center — which the Ebola outbreak hasn’t reached — serves about 2,000 children.

Wednesday’s shipment of medical supplies included donations from Tim’s Home Medical Supply in Bremerton and the Pacific Surgery Center in Poulsbo, where Children of the Nations board member Dr. Mike Jungkeit operates. Bellingham-based Gundie’s Auto Recyclers helped cover the cost of sending the supplies to Africa via airfreight, saving approximately $400.

Cassia Burke, a staff writer for Children of the Nations, said the group hopes to fly out the organization’s third shipment of medical supplies — the first was sent Aug. 11 — within the next two weeks. She is seeking additional donations from Kitsap County residents.

“The first two shipments went to our medical clinic. Now that we’ve done that, there’s two neighboring hospitals that we partner with that need protective gear, so we hope to supply them with that,” Burke said.

Items needed are:

— 200 pairs of protective gowns.

— 100 boxes with 50 pairs each of hand gloves.

— 24 pairs of goggles.

— Six backpack disinfectant sprayers.

— 2,000 disposable thermometers

— Six noncontact thermometers.

Norman said Kitsap residents can either drop off donated medical supplies at the 11992 Clear Creek Road headquarters in Silverdale; mail checks to PO Box 3970, Silverdale, 98383; or contact her directly through email at lisanorman@cotni.org. For information, visit www.COTNI.org/ebola.

“We anticipate we’ll be dealing with the Ebola outbreak for several months,” Norman said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg.”

The World Health Organization said Thursday that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa could infect as many as 20,000 people. Ebola has killed at least 1,552 people among 3,069 reported cases in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, The Associated Press reported Thursday. Actual cases of Ebola in urban areas could be two to four times higher.

As of Aug. 17, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation of Sierra Leone registered 747 confirmed cases, 283 deaths, 217 suspected cases, 247 admissions and 200 discharged chases, according to Children of Nations Sierra Leone country director Sahr Yambasu.

Yambasu told Norman that the Sierra Leone children he’s working with “remain positive.”

“They continue to take this very seriously and have been compliant in taking precautionary measures,” Yambasu said. “These measures include chlorinated hand-washing stations throughout the ministry site, daily temperature checks for all people coming and going from the site, mandatory roll call every two hours and disinfecting buildings.”

Despite all the increased anxiety, Yambasu said he’s trying to maintain routine and structure for the children.

“On behalf of the national board, the staff and children, thank you very much for desperately needed resources and financial contributions,” Yambasu said. “God has given us courage to press on. All of Sierra Leone prays that Ebola will end.”

According to the United Nations, Sierra Leone has one doctor per 34,744 people for its population of 5.97 million. In the United States, there’s roughly one doctor per every 300 people, according to the Labor Department, using 2004 Census figures.

Copyright 2015 Journal Media Group. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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